There’s no doubt about the temperature issues with PCIe 5.0 SSDs, and MSI has prepared two prototypes named SPATIUM LIQUID and FROZR+. This is not the first advanced cooling system we’ve seen, but it is the first one specifically designed for SSDs. Until now, we’ve seen CPU liquid coolers adapted with a block for the SSD, as well as CPU tower-style heatsinks. Here, we see a cooling system explicitly designed from top to bottom to fit an SSD.
As the name suggests, the SPATIUM LIQUID integrates a complete water cooling system into the SSD. On the other hand, the FROZR+ consists of a dense aluminum block, a copper heat pipe, an integrated fan, and a touch of LED RGB lighting. All of this is packed into a “compact” size compared to the more characteristic tower-style heatsinks found on CPUs.
The MSI SPATIUM M580 FROZR LIQUID SSD is showcased in a prototype form with a cooling system called FROZR LIQUID. Based on a single image, MSI implies we’re looking at a thermal evolution. Furthermore, it’s the first all-in-one cooling system for an SSD. The radiator, water pump, and fan are all mounted directly on the SSD. We have a small aluminum radiator on top, through which the coolant passes for temperature reduction. Beneath that, we have the water pump keeping the coolant flow in motion, alongside a blower fan responsible for drastically reducing temperatures. All of this is mounted on a heatsink that covers the SSD for proper cooling.
With this cooling system, the MSI SPATIUM M580 FROZR LIQUID SSD can achieve sustained speeds of up to 14,000 MB/s for reading and up to 12,000 MB/s for writing. It’s admittedly overkill for gaming, but for professional use, where intensive storage usage is common, it ensures stable performance and minimal working times.
We also have the M580 SPATIUM FROZR+ variant
The MSI SPATIUM M580 FROZR FROZR+ features the same SSD but with an active cooling system. This is a more straightforward, practical, and economical solution. It consists of an aluminum heatsink, a 6 mm thick copper heat pipe, and an MSI TORX 5.0 fan. All of this is covered with an aesthetic casing for proper airflow management. On top, there’s an aluminum cover with the MSI logo and software-configurable LED RGB lighting.
The company provides more information for this variant, noting that the active FROZR+ cooling system can reduce temperatures by up to 30ºC. It’s curious that no data is mentioned for the water-cooled model. Depending on the price difference, the FROZR+ should be more than enough to prevent overheating from affecting performance during prolonged use.
These prototypes were introduced shortly after Phison released a more efficient PCIe 5.0 SSD controller, resulting in cooler operation. Of course, it’s worrisome to think about the cooling systems for future PCIe 6.0 SSDs.
The post MSI introduces a water cooling system and another active cooling system for SSDs: up to -30ºC temperature reduction first appeared on El Chapuzas Informático.